


Stories from the Holy War

by Ipsen



Category: Fire Emblem: Seisen no Keifu | Fire Emblem: Genealogy of the Holy War
Genre: Canon Divergence, nsfw later
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-02
Updated: 2020-05-09
Packaged: 2021-03-02 05:20:47
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 13,094
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23959837
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ipsen/pseuds/Ipsen
Summary: One fateful day, in an effort to draw attention away from their home, a young group of people, led by the Scion of Light, take to the front lines to wage war against the Grannvale Empire. This is their story.A narrative retelling of the second generation of the original FE4.
Relationships: Celice | Seliph/Lakche | Larcei, Lana/Scathach | Ulster (Fire Emblem)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 23





	1. Ganeishire

**Author's Note:**

> I wanted to give my own insight and flavor to the Gen 2 story and here it is. This is also my first work published here on ao3 and I really hope I can edit those tags.

Larcei had complicated feelings about living in Tirnanog.

Yes, it was her home, and yes, it was so out of the way that the Loptous faction only rarely came around, if at all, but she always felt… stuck. Stuck waking up to the same place, stuck walking down the same small aisles, stuck training with the same three people. Safe, yes, but satisfied? Definitely no.

But today was different.

Ulster hadn’t come back from his scouting mission yet. Larcei would’ve gone too if it weren’t for the atrocities. So she stayed put at the abbey, impatiently tapping her foot against the floor. 

She sat at the table across from Lana, shoving the last bits of her breakfast into her mouth.

“Do you think he’s okay?” Lana asked out of nowhere. “He’s usually not gone this long.”

“He’s fine,” Larcei said, chewing. “Probably tripped on his face.”

Lana giggled. “Maybe so.”

Larcei returned with a smirk. “Oh, please, it’s just so. If he’s got any weak spot, it’s his legs.”

“‘It’s his arms you gotta watch out for,’ right?”

Larcei laughed. However, the joy from simple conversation was cut short when Ulster threw the door open.

“Welcome—” Larcei began, but then saw his haunted expression. She stood up. “What happened?”

“They found us,” he said breathlessly. “And they’re coming here.”

Larcei was stunned, but she found a smile creeping onto her face. “Well, then, if they’re comin’ here, why not meet them halfway? We take out the army and advance on Ganeishire, simple as that. Two birds with one stone!”

Ulster opened his mouth, shut it, then spoke. “Wait, you mean right now?”

She rolled her eyes. “No, I mean a couple days later, when they’re torching every house in— of course I mean now!! When else are we gonna go?!”

“Larcei, we can’t just go out there and start killing troops! Shannan’s still in Yied, and Sir Oifey and the others are still out on their expedition!! We don’t stand a chance on our own!” he shouted.

“What, you want us to stay put instead?! Twiddle our thumbs and let them come to our front door?!” She banged her fist on the table. “You can be as scared as you want, but we knew it was only a matter of time before we got snuffed out! We have to act _now_!”

“But—”

“You don’t get it, do you, Ulster?! Those monsters have already taken and killed too many of my friends! Every day, they’re out picking up girls like me, and if Shannan hadn’t shown up when he did, I wouldn’t be arguing with you right now! I’d be dead, or wishing I was!!” She trembled in her spot.

“Larcei…” Lana whispered. She tried to put a hand on Larcei’s shoulder, but it was pushed away.

“I’m so, so _sick_ of this place. Every day, it’s exactly the same as the next. Wake up, train, eat, train, and when the imperial troops come to ‘survey’ the girls? I can’t do a damn thing! I couldn’t do anything when my best friends were plucked right out of my hands!! I’m sick of it! I’m sick of running!”

It was five years ago when it happened. All she could do was watch from the distant window of the abbey. Mother Edain had to keep her close so her sobbing couldn’t be heard.

“Larcei, they were my friends too! Don’t forget you’re not the only one who’s suffering here!” Ulster retorted immediately, taking a step forward. “But we can’t just go out and fight in a _war_ ; it’s not that easy, sis! It’s not about revenge!”

“Alright, then, what _is_ it about?” she hissed, her fist screwed tight.

“It’s about me.”

The sound of a new voice entering the room turned all three heads to its source. It was Seliph.

“Isn’t it?” His expression was solemn, his voice gentle. “You’re trying to be considerate, Ulster,” he determined, stepping forward. “Shannan, before he left, ordered you to keep me safe, didn’t he? That’s why you’re holding back.”

Larcei felt her eye twitch. Shannan trusted Ulster, but not her? But that was for another time. “Forgive me, Seli— sir; I… didn’t want to involve you,” she mumbled pathetically.

“Larcei, I can fight just as well as you or Ulster can!” he said before turning back to Ulster. “You said they were coming here? Then we must move now.”

“Sir, with all due respect—” Ulster started.

It was Seliph’s turn to get angry. “We can’t keep arguing about this! With each passing moment, the troops get closer, and the last thing I’m going to do is drag the people of Tirnanog into war! They’ve done so much for us: keeping us hidden, even when their lives were threatened! Those of them that were taken away believed we would rise up one day and make it all end. This is that day!”

With that, Ulster sighed, scratching his head in defeat. “As you say, sir.”

“We’ll meet back here as soon as we’re all ready.” Seliph began walking to his room.

“What about Sir Oifey and the others?” Lana asked.

“We’ll have to make do without them. The important thing is to keep their eyes off Tirnanog,” Larcei said. “Besides, they’re on horses; how bad can it be?”

Lana gave an uneasy chuckle before disappearing into her room. Meanwhile, Larcei and Ulster found theirs and began to pack. Food, spare clothes, a water sac, and their weapons. Ulster’s was a strong, heavy silver blade that suited his powerful swings; Shannan had given it to him. Larcei’s sword, a brave sword, had belonged to their mother, Ayra.

“Are you sure you’re ready for this, sis?” Ulster asked, their backs facing each other.

“As ready as I’ll ever be,” she admitted, binding her sword’s sheath to her back. “How ‘bout you?”

“I’m pretty scared myself, but I’ll only ever learn through experience, right?”

“You got that right, little brother.” She finished stuffing her bag as efficiently as possible, then threw it over her shoulders. “You good?”

“Yep, right behind ya.”

The twins made their way back to the entrance, where Seliph was waiting for them.

“Where’s Lana?” he asked.

“I’m here!” Lana spoke up behind them, raising her hand.

Seliph smiled. “Alright, then. Lana, Larcei, Ulster… Let’s go!”

* * *

Needless to say, their plan was successful so far.

Their opponents had been a small group of soldiers from Ganeishire, likely sent to exterminate them on sight. Weapons drawn, Seliph, Larcei, and Ulster took the front lines while Lana kept an eye on them from behind.

For Larcei, it was strange cutting real flesh for the first time. It wasn’t quite as smooth as stories made it out to be, and he didn’t immediately die. Imagining it from his perspective, it was likely a tortuous death having his neck torn open by an inexperienced myrmidon. Ulster and Seliph followed suit, and the fighting began.

Shannan and Oifey both taught them to prioritize their bodies first; if they were wounded, then things would fall apart from there. Let the opponent make the first move, and exploit any revealed weaknesses. Larcei dodged axe swing after axe swing, learning the weak points of the soldiers’ manufactured armor. The joints, for one, and the straps were good targets to start.

After cutting those, vital organs came next. Mother Edain taught them human anatomy when they got older; how to kill quickly as well as how to treat properly. Two sides of the same coin.

When all of this training came to be applied, the dust settled, and the small rebellion came out on top.

Since then, the sun had begun to set, and the group had set up camp behind a small collection of trees near the base of the mountains southeast of Tirnanog. It made for a perfect vantage point to take Ganeishire the next day.

Larcei finished making sure her and Lana’s tent was sturdy. Ulster came up behind her. “Holding up alright?”

She resisted the urge to roll her eyes. “Managing well enough. What do you want?”

“What? I can’t strike up some small talk with my big sis?”

“Don’t try and pull that shit. What do you want?” she snapped.

He sighed. “Well, aren’t you sweet? Fine; I want you to take first watch.”

A laugh escaped her. “Really? You don’t wanna get all your ‘beauty sleep’ before waking up for some more fighting?”

“Hey, don’t try and turn this around!” He sat down, then considered it for a moment. “But you make a good point, though, much as I hate it.”

“So you admit it.” A grin.

“Shut up.” He failed to hide a smile.

The two were silent for a moment, and Larcei double checked her work on the tent.

“Hey, Larcei?”

“What’s up?”

“Did you tell anyone else about the… thing?”

“What?”

“You don’t remember? The thing Mother Edain told us.” Ulster made sure Seliph and Lana were far enough away, then leaned forward to whisper. “Our father.”

Larcei went quiet, then exhaled. “If you think about it, we could probably use it to our advantage.”

“You mean Iuchar and Iucharba?”

“Who else? Much as I hate their faces, they’re two of the few people who’d listen to reason. Neither of them participate in the child hunts from what I hear. Shows some dignity.” She adjusted one of the pegs.

“But they still fight for the Empire.” Ulster rested his cheek in his hand. “Not exactly a good look for a resumé.”

“I hear ya, but it’s never really so simple, is it, little brother?”

“Two fair points in a whole day. I’m shocked.” He was the one who grinned this time.

“Put a sock in it.”

* * *

The sun rose, and the others were starting to get up. Larcei had kept the last shift and was feeling a little woozy. She went into her and Lana’s tent, rummaging for breakfast, and found a small roll of bread, which she devoured and washed down with some water. Not tasteless, but not exactly tasteful, either.

“Hey, do you guys hear that?” Lana asked, suddenly cautious.

“Hear what?” Seliph put his hand to his ear.

Larcei strained, but picked up the sound. “Horses.”

“Weren’t you keeping watch, sis?” Ulster said, drawing his sword.

“Weren’t _you_ keeping watch?!” she retaliated, doing the same.

“How about we focus?!” Lana interrupted, and pointed.

Three horses, each coming from… the west. And they were heading here at a frightening speed. _Wait a second_ … 

“Lester?!” Lana exclaimed, somehow spotting the head of sleek blue hair. “And Diarmuid! Sir Oifey, too!”

“Wow, that Ulir blood’s doing us some damn good favors,” Ulster said to no one in particular.

The three horsemen approached them and came to a stop. Sure enough, it was who Lana mentioned. Sir Oifey dismounted immediately. “Your Highness, it heartens me to see you safe!”

Lester was next. “Lana! Man, if I hadn’t spotted you, I bet we would’ve ended up sieging Ganeishire ourselves!”

“Good to see you too, Lester.” She giggled.

“Aw, and I thought I’d hidden us really well this time,” Ulster said, frowning.

“Hide and seek was never exactly your strong point, Ulster, what with you showing off those arms,” Diarmuid chimed in with a chuckle of his own as he dismounted.

“Hey!” Larcei found utmost amusement in the way Ulster covered his exposed arms.

Diarmuid laughed. “But we’re all grouped up together, and not a moment too soon.”

“That’s right. Today we take back Ganeishire,” Seliph said, smiling. “Oifey, how was the expedition?”

Oifey had taken Lester and Diarmuid a short way across Jugdral in order to gauge the situation in which they found themselves in. Shannan had left at a similar time in pursuit of a rumor that Balmung was sanctioned at Yied.

“Not good, I’m afraid, my lord,” Oifey reported. “The oppression spreads as far as Orgahill, but there are uprisings as well.”

“Any successful ones?”

“None. There just isn’t enough manpower to stand against the might of the Empire.” Oifey looked to the others. “The way we are now, we might share the same fate.”

“But we’re already out here fighting!” Larcei protested. “We can’t just turn tail and run; there are people who need us!”

“Yeah!” Lana agreed. “And the castle’s exposed! We can win!”

“I didn’t say anything about turning back.” Oifey smiled beneath his mustache. “Not that we could, at any rate; His Highness’s whereabouts are known now that you’ve taken down a crucial guard point.”

Ulster folded his arms. “All that’s left is the castle, right?”

“Precisely.”

Lester shrugged. “Well, what’re we waiting for? Let’s kill some Loptyrians! Er, Loptousians? Loputoans? Lop—”

“Loptians, I think is the term,” Diarmuid spoke dryly.

“Yeah, those things!”

* * *

_It's huge._

That was Larcei’s first thought upon entering the newly liberated Ganeishire. The battles that had taken place felt unbearably long, but their army triumphed in the end after a long week. She leaned on Ulster for support.

“I thought you were supposed to be the energetic one,” he said, throwing her arm around his shoulder.

“Shut your mouth,” she replied between haggard breaths. “I took down more than you did.”

“Yeah, well, except the leader. That was all me.” He pretended to flex.

Seliph appeared opposite them to take her other arm. “I seem to recall it being a group effort.”

“Aren’t you forgetting someone?” piped up Lester from the rear. “Who shot that guy sneaking up behind you when you weren’t looking?”

“And who recklessly approached at close range and forced me to abandon Lord Seliph’s side for your sake?” countered Diarmuid, trotting ahead of them.

“What?! I did not! Diar, c’mon, I’m not _that_ reckless, am I?!” He chased after him, leaving the rest of the argument to imagination.

Larcei looked behind her to see Lana silently trailing behind, idly playing with her staff. She’d been awfully quiet during most of the trip, only sometimes speaking to Seliph out of her crush on him. Larcei took her arm off Ulster and Seliph.

“You guys go on ahead,” she said, falling into pace with Lana. “We’ll catch up.”

The two looked at each other, but continued forth.

“Are you holding up okay?” Larcei asked Lana.

She seemed to snap out of a trance. “Hm? Oh, um, yes, I’m fine.”

Larcei continued to look at her. “You sure?”

“Larcei, I’m fine, really. Just…” She fingered her staff a bit more, slowing to a stop. “I’m just a little shaken.”

“From all the fighting?” She put a hand on Lana’s shoulder. “I know you have it tougher than all of us, being the only healer.”

“Oh, no, it’s not that; I’m glad to be of help. Well, er, yes, that, but…” Lana looked up. “My mother…”

So that’s what it was about. Mother Edain, who’d raised them all, was still somewhere at the abbey, and she’d probably only just found out about the fighting. Larcei bit her lip. “I’m sure she’s alright,” she assured Lana. “Mother Edain’s one tough cookie.”

“Larcei, I know, but I— we didn't even say goodbye.”

A pause. “Oh…” She reached out and grasped her hand firmly. “Look, I know it’s not much, but at least you know she’s alive and safe.”

Lana knew where this was coming from. “I didn’t mean to offend you—”

“You didn’t, I promise. Let’s focus on what’s ahead for now, okay? Seliph needs you more than ever, now.”

At that last part, she turned red. “That’s— that’s not fair.”

“All’s fair in love and war, my dear. C’mon.” Larcei pulled Lana ahead to join the group.

They hadn’t actually made it that far; the citizens were too busy thanking them. Oifey was trying his best to ward them off to make it to the castle, where they could set up quarters for the time being.

Larcei and Lana managed to squeeze in next to Ulster.

“You guys alright?” he asked.

“I should be asking you that,” Larcei responded. “You didn’t even make it halfway to the castle.”

Oifey managed to push back the onlookers and get the group moving. Everyone followed suit, waving and smiling like some sort of parade. They received a few gifts as well, such as flowers and food. Larcei found herself particularly fond of a little girl’s lily.

If Ganeishire itself wasn’t impressive enough, the castle was something else entirely. She gasped at its marvel and the spacious rooms. Former servants tended to their needs, and the blacksmiths were more than happy to repair their damaged weapons for a price.

Larcei flopped onto the bed for her room, kicking her boots to some corner. “Gods, a real bed!” she moaned, burying her face into a pillow. “Ah…”

Seliph chuckled at the sight. “You seem to be having fun.”

“Damn right I am,” Larcei chirped, looking up at him. She patted the side of the bed. “C’mon, feel it.”

He pulled off a glove and did so. Larcei watched him intently. Up close, she realized how much stronger he’d grown in these past few days. With a few battles under his belt, he didn’t look as passive or wimpy.

“You’re right.”

Larcei blinked. “Huh?”

“It’s soft,” Seliph said, smiling at her, moving to sit on it. “A far cry from our beds at Tirnanog.”

“Oh, yeah! It’s a nice change of pace.” She sat up as well. “Good job out there by the way, sir.”

“Er, thank you.” He scratched his head. “I should say the same for you. You were a complete beast out there.”

She cupped her cheeks in mock embarrassment. “Aw, shucks, I’m blushing.”

“It’s true! Who knows what would’ve happened if you weren’t there.” He let out a breath. “Still, all this fighting… It’s a tad overwhelming. And we still have the rest of Isaach.”

“Yep, but we’ll make it. All of us.” She punched his shoulder.

Seliph rubbed it, laughing. “Yes, you’re right. With everyone, we can win.”

The two of them sat on the bed in silence, absorbing the tranquility of the moment. It was nice; for Larcei, there hadn't been much time to just sit around with Seliph like this. Since he’d turned eighteen six months ago, Oifey and Shannan drilled him harder than any of the others. Terrain, medicine, strategic maneuvers, and most important of all: ruling and leading.

All things needed for a king-to-be.

She could only begin to imagine the pressure put upon someone as kind and gentle as Seliph. And then stacking war on top of that? She hated to think about how he must be feeling.

“Hey, Seliph?”

“Yes?” He didn’t hide surprise at how suddenly tender she was.

“You can talk to me, you know. About anything.”

Seliph tilted his head, confused. “Where’s this coming from all of a sudden? It’s not like you to be so…” He tapped his chin. “Well, no, you’re considerate when it counts, but not like this, I mean. Not when there’s really nothing wrong.”

It was here that Larcei’s face fell into a glare, something he noticed immediately. “Not that there’s anything wrong with you being considerate!” he said in an attempt to save himself. “In fact, I welcome it! And, er—”

“Just forget it, sir.” She sighed and stood up.

“Larcei, wait—!”

She felt his gloved hand close over her wrist, and she stopped.

“I… I do appreciate it. Thank you, and I’m sorry.”

Larcei turned around, grinning. “You’re welcome.”


	2. Meeting

A servant came in to see Seliph holding Larcei’s wrist. “Oh, um…” They shuffled in place. “You’re Lord Seliph, yes?”

Seliph immediately let go, trying to compose himself. “Y-Yes, that’s me.”

Larcei took a step aside, her cheeks burning.

“You have a visitor. He’s waiting at the front.”

“Thank you.” Seliph’s voice was almost a whisper.

They bowed and rushed out, leaving the two in awkward silence.

“Sorry, sir,” Larcei mumbled after a while.

“Larcei, it’s alright,” Seliph replied, waving a hand. “It was my fault, and we were just caught at a bad time.” He walked toward the exit. “I’ll… go see who it is. What about you?”

She scratched her head. “Uh, er… I’ll just go with you, I guess.”

She followed him out the room toward the castle entrance, but even then, it was still too awkward. Fortunately, Ulster showed up alongside Lana, carrying groceries.

“Oh, hey,” he said, looking at Larcei and Seliph.

“You bought a lot,” Seliph said, surprised.

“Yeah, well, turns out there’s a caravan willing to help us out, so we took advantage of it.”

“They were really nice!” Lana chirped. “When we took back Ganeishire, they offered to join our cause!”

“That’s great news!” Seliph said. “Let them know I’m more than happy to let them.”

Lana nodded. “Of course!” She glanced at Larcei. “Are you alright?”

Larcei hadn’t made eye contact with anyone, let alone spoken. “Oh, um,” she trailed off before trying again. “I’m— I’m fine, Lana. Just a little, uh, tired from earlier.”

Ulster raised an eyebrow at Seliph, who returned a wry smile. “So, where were you two heading?” Ulster asked him.

“We have a visitor, apparently. I was just going down to meet them.” He seemed more than happy to change the subject.

“Well, have fun.” Ulster’s eyes were on Larcei, however.

“Lester and Diarmuid are working with Sir Oifey and the locals for now,” Lana said, moving toward the rooms. “Afterward, Sir Oifey wanted to meet up for a plan of attack on Sophara and Isaach.”

“Okay, thank you, Lana,” Seliph said. “I’ll see you there.”

She nodded with a big smile, and Ulster followed her to put the groceries away, giving Larcei a questionable gaze. She scowled at him.

“Well, shall we?” Seliph held his hand toward the entrance.

Larcei managed to compose herself. “Lead the way.”

They came to the castle entrance, where two people awaited them. One of them was a tall man with flowing green hair, like it was permanently caught in the wind. He raised his hand in a wave.

“Yo, Seliph, Larcei,” he said. “Been a while, huh?”

“Wait, you’re— Lewyn!” Larcei exclaimed.

“King Lewyn! Of Silesse!” Seliph responded incredulously.

It was at that that he glared. “I’m no king of anywhere, kid. Never was. Don’t call me that.”

“Oh… My apologies, then.” Seliph bowed.

“Nah, I should be the one apologizing. At least we’re clear.” Lewyn shrugged.

“So, what brings you here?”

“Thought I’d check up on your little uprising myself after catching wind of the news.” Lewyn looked around for effect, nodding in approval. “Not bad, Seliph. How’s your first taste of victory feel?”

“I had help. Larcei and the rebellions within the walls did most of the work, if I’m being honest. I just secured the castle.” Seliph scratched his cheek.

“Quit putting yourself down, will you?” Larcei said, shoving him lightly. “You called the shots pretty good. Helped me focus on fighting when I had objectives.”

“Either way, we won. But there were casualties amongst the civilians…”

She put her hand on his shoulder. “Hey. It’s not your fault; they knew what they were fighting for.”

“She’s right, Seliph,” Lewyn said, folding his arms. “It’s war. Everyone who fights knows what could await them. But they went out believing you would win and lead the survivors to a better world.”

“Yes, I know, but…” Seliph looked down.

“Larcei, do you know where Shannan is? I thought he’d be with Seliph.”

Larcei wanted to protest about changing the subject, but knowing Lewyn, it wouldn’t do any good. She kept her hand on Seliph, and squeezed his shoulder lightly. “He’s out in Yied about now, looking for Balmung. A merchant came by last week, saying it was locked up there somewhere.”

“Yeesh, talk about reckless… Ah, I’m sure he’s fine.” Lewyn sighed. “I guess I’ll turn to you two, then. Can I ask you a favor?”

Seliph cleared his throat, collecting himself. “Yes, of course. What is it?”

Lewyn put his arm around the one accompanying him. It was a girl, shorter than both Seliph and Larcei, but couldn’t be older than them. Her hair was long and silver, and despite her plain attire, Larcei could’ve attached wings to her and called her an angel. Soft purple eyes exchanged glances with her dark ones before settling on Seliph.

“This is Julia,” Lewyn said. “Some seven years ago, I found her injured with no memories and took her in. We lived on the outskirts of Silesse for a bit, then the Loptians came and took over, so I figured we’d come here instead, check out what you guys were cooking up, too.

“I was hoping you could take her in for a while, make sure she’s safe. There’s something I have to check out in Leonster, and I hate to say it, but she’s slowing me down. Could you do that for me?”

Larcei saw Julia stiffen and her gaze drop down.

“Of course, Lewyn,” Seliph said. “I’ll make sure no one hurts her. You do what you need to do.”

“Thanks, Seliph. Be gentle with her, you hear?” He turned to Julia. “I’ll be back before you know it, alright? Just sit tight.”

“Lewyn…” Julia started softly, but thought otherwise. “Okay. Goodbye.”

Within minutes, he was gone. Larcei glanced at Seliph, then noticed he was staring at Julia. She looked at Julia and saw she was staring back.

“Well!” Larcei said, clapping her hands to get their attention. “Good to have you on board, Julia.”

Seliph straightened. “Yes! It’s good to meet you, Julia. I’m Seliph, and this is my friend Larcei.”

Julia bowed. “It’s nice to meet you.” She was incredibly soft-spoken, but she was genuine.

“Likewise, Julia.” Larcei nodded before turning to Seliph. “I’m gonna grab Ulster and Lana, then check up with Sir Oifey.”

* * *

“A little to the left,” Lana instructed.

“Er, like this?” Ulster asked.

“Little more.” A shift. “Wait, less! Less!!”

“Sorry! How about this?”

“There we go! Perfect.” She sighed with satisfaction.

Larcei walked in and saw the two of them in front of a large stack of crates. “What’re you guys doing?”

“Oh, hi, Larcei!” Lana said. “The caravan people are out shopping right now, so we were sorting out the food groups and supplies for them.”

“Need any help?”

“No, we just finished thanks to Ulster’s big, strong arms.” Lana flexed mockingly.

“I don’t do that.” Ulster frowned.

“Yeah, you do, Ulster,” Larcei smirked.

“Alright, then when?”

She cleared her throat and imitated his voice. “‘I can do this! I feel great! I can  _ win _ !’”

Lana burst out laughing without warning. A blush crept up Ulster’s cheeks, and he stormed off.

“He was psyching himself up for a fight with Shannan a couple years back,” Larcei explained, grinning.

Lana wiped a tear from her eye. “Did he ever win?”

“No, ‘course not. It’s Shannan.”

“Aww.” Lana looked in the direction Ulster went. “I was rooting for him, too.”

Larcei patted her shoulder. “You seem to be doing a lot better.”

“I am, thank you.” She smiled. “Ulster helped cheer me up, too.”

“That’s good. He’s not good for much, but he makes for a mean pep talk,” Larcei admitted.

Lana laughed. “I have to agree. Even after all these years, I didn’t know he was so easy to talk to.”

“Yeah, between us training and you studying magic, we didn’t talk much at all, huh?” The realization was sobering. “Sounds a little lonely.”

Lana hummed in agreement. “And Lord Seliph… He’ll be growing even more distant, won’t he?”

Larcei leaned her back against the wall. “Yeah, you’re right. After everything’s done, he’ll be king.” She folded her arms, sighing. “You better make your move quick, lest someone else steal him away.” 

“H-Hey!”

“It’s true, though.”

Lana looked down. “I-I know, but…” She trailed off.

Larcei sighed. “You two are exactly the same, you know that?”

“Huh?”

“You’re some of the brightest stars in the sky, yet you don’t even realize it. You have no confidence,” she explained.

“That’s not true. Seliph led us to victory! He was totally calm.”

“Yeah, he did. But you’ve seen him fight, haven't you? He hesitates all the time. It’s why he’s never beaten me.” Larcei brushed her hair aside. “We’re lucky Sir Oifey and Shannan trained us, else he’d be dead with that sort of mindset.”

“Larcei…” Lana frowned. “You sound like them right now.”

“Maybe I’m finally seeing their side of things.” Larcei sank to the floor. “I dunno, Lana. He’s so gentle and kindhearted, so he needs someone with an iron will by his side to keep him in line.”

Lana paused for a second. “Uh, you mean someone like you?”

If Larcei had a drink, she’d choke. “What?! Why would you—”

“Am I wrong?” Her usually soft eyes were piercing now. It was clear to Larcei she wasn’t too happy about her conclusion.

“You’re being awfully calm about this.”

“And you’re not.” It was Lana’s turn to fold her arms. She looked away and turned up her nose. “I wonder why.”

Larcei stood abruptly, glaring. “I’m going to a strategy meeting with Sir Oifey and the others. I’ll see you there.”

“See you there.”

* * *

The war room was square in size and without windows. A single circular table, taking up most of the room, was surrounded by chairs. A map of Isaach was spread across it. Lester, Diarmuid, and Oifey saw Larcei come in first.

“Well, this is a surprise,” Lester said cheekily. “I thought you’d skip, just roll with your gut like you always do.”

“Can it,” she snapped at him, plopping into a seat and crossing her arms.

“Wow, what crawled up your pants this time? You lose a fight or something?”

“I said  _ can it _ , Gelhead!”

“Larcei!” Oifey shouted, stunning Diarmuid in the process. “If you’re not going to be collected and rational, you can leave the room! We can’t afford to make clouded judgements! Do you understand?”

She tensed up. “Yes, sir.”

“And Lester, don’t antagonize Larcei like that. You know better than anyone she’s one of our most valuable pieces on the board. And you’re our only ranged unit. We need you both here.”

“Roger, sir. My apologies,” Lester mumbled. He and Larcei traded scowls when Oifey wasn’t looking.

Oifey painted a very different picture from whenever Seliph was in the room. Seliph didn’t need shouting or pressure; he perfectly understood, from a young age, what was expected of him, and he performed accordingly. The pressure came from himself. As for someone like Larcei, who hadn’t quite gotten the memo, Oifey— Shannan, too— took to different measures.

Lester subconsciously ran a hand through his hair after a while, and Larcei smirked, having won the implied game of insults. Diarmuid shuffled to a chair opposite her. After a few moments of silence, Ulster showed up with Lana.

Ulster recognized the tension immediately. “Oh…”

“Uh, hi…” Lana waved hesitantly. Larcei didn’t look at her.

Oifey’s gaze lingered on Ulster for a moment before returning to the map. “Take a seat. Once Seliph gets here, we can begin.”

Ulster did so next to his sister, and Lana sat a space away from her. He gave Larcei a look, suggesting “What the hell happened?”

Larcei sank deeper into her seat, refusing to answer.

Diarmuid twiddled his thumbs. Lester took a seat, looking clearly uncomfortable. Lana waited in her chair, poised in a way that only someone upset did. Ulster nodded at nothing, looking around. Oifey hummed at the map, thinking to himself.

Larcei herself was doing fine, until Seliph opened the door, entering with Julia. If she could sink any deeper, she would, but Lana immediately shot her a look that forced her to sit up. It was like school with Mother Edain all over again; she wouldn’t let Larcei slack off on any work, and failure meant leftovers for dinner. And Larcei  _ hated  _ leftovers.

“Everyone,” Seliph’s hand was on Julia’s shoulder, “this is Julia. We’re taking care of her at the request of King— of Lewyn, who is currently doing business in Leonster. She’ll be joining us, if that’s alright.”

Oifey nodded. Larcei observed a stunned expression cross his face. “Very well. Have a seat, Julia. I’m Oifey.”

“Thank you…” Julia took the seat next to Larcei while Seliph sat near Lana. Julia stared at him for a moment before looking down.

“Now that we’re all here, we can begin.” Oifey held out his hand. “Your Highness?”

Everyone’s gaze turned to Seliph. Larcei saw him shrink slightly, but he spoke regardless. “From what I understand, we only have two days at most before word reaches Danann and he makes his move. He’ll likely entrust this to Iuchar and Iucharba, who are guarding Isaach and Sophara respectively.”

“He’ll send word, alright, but they won’t budge an inch,” Lester said. “We’ve got our secret weapon right over there.” He gestured to Larcei.

“Oh, you’re just a  _ real _ hoot today, aren’t ya?” she responded with a scoff. “But those two idiots will only attack if we come in range.”

“And even then,” Diarmuid built off her, “perhaps we can make them defect if we play our cards right. They’re not quite like the imperial troops.”

“But if we recruit one, the other might get mad.” Lester grinned in the face of Larcei’s anger.

“I’m not so sure,” Ulster replied before she could do anything. They traded glances. “I have a plan.”

Her eyes widened. “Wait, you can’t mean—”

“Ulster, that’s too risky,” Oifey interrupted. “If it fails, we could get surrounded on the field or fight an uphill battle. Or, worst case, both.”

“Anything else we do is risky, sir!” Ulster stood up. “The more we argue in this room, the more children are sacrificed, and it’s like you said: we need more manpower. We’re lucky enough we got to Ganeishire on our own, but look how long that took! We need to be more  _ efficient _ .”

“Wait, I’m lost.” Lester looked between Ulster and Oifey. “Did you guys discuss a secret plan when I wasn’t looking?”

Seliph looked to Larcei in silence. She returned it pensively, then spoke herself. “I think we should do it,” she said. “We can split up the group, and then take Sophara and Isaach in the same timespan. It’ll be a week at most.” She looked at Ulster. “Convincing Iucharba will be easier; his head’s not full of air like his brother, and his army is the only thing guarding Sophara.”

“Split the—” Diarmuid looked worried. “Larcei!”

“Hmm, but it may just work,” Oifey muttered, staring at the map. “Iucharba’s army is rather small, from what I hear; not to mention, it’s simple infantry spread thinly across the valley. Between Ulster and myself, we may be able to cover the rest of you just fine as you confront Iuchar’s squadron.”

“Sir, you can’t be serious! Just you and Ulster?!”

“He’s got a point; axe infantry is  _ really _ slow.” It was actually Lester who came to defend. “And Sir Oifey’s got, what, ten years of experience under his belt? Not to mention, I doubt Danann will trust his lovestruck sons to take us out. He’ll send reinforcements to Isaach.”

“Wow, you’re smarter than you look, Gelhead,” Larcei said, grinning.

“Right back at ya, Long Locks.”

“May we, sir?” Ulster looked to Seliph.

Seliph grimaced, almost looking at Oifey before deciding otherwise. “It does have an ideal outcome, but what will we do if one of us gets injured? We only have Lana.”

“She can go with you and the others. Sir Oifey and I can handle a couple of axe users by ourselves,” Ulster said.

“Oh, like  _ hell _ I’m letting you do that!” Lana protested out of nowhere. “This is going to be one of our riskiest plans, and I’m  _ not _ letting you take on a squad alone!”

“Lana, I’ll be fine! Have some faith in me!”

“‘Lana, have some faith in me!’” she mocked him mercilessly. “After you walked out of the fight with the most injuries? I don’t think so!”

Julia tried raising her hand. “Um—”

Ulster ignored her. “I have more experience now! There’s nothing to worry about!”

“Excuse me…”

Lana talked over her. “Except if the plan  _ fails _ and you get  _ surrounded _ ! That  _ worries  _ me, Ulster! How about you maybe  _ think _ a little bit?!”

“P-Pardon me!!” In her attempt at shouting, Julia’s voice cracked, turning all eyes upon her. She shrank in her seat. “I-I, um… I can, I can use healing staves!”

Lana stared at her for a moment, then marched over to where she was. The two were just about the same height and saw eye-to-eye. Then Lana hugged Julia tightly. Briefly, but tightly. The poor girl yelped, but she didn’t move away.

Lana let go, smiling gratefully. “We’re going to be great friends, Julia. I just know it.” She returned to her spot. “I’m sorry I lost my temper there. It was uncalled for.”

“No, it’s fine,” Oifey said, still recovering from shock. “You had a valid concern. Thank you.”

“I’m going with you two, okay? Just in case.”

Ulster scratched his head. “Yeah, that’s… That’s fine.”

Diarmuid opened his mouth, but didn’t speak out. Lester sighed. “So I guess we’re done? When’re we leaving to do this… whatever this plan is?”

Seliph cleared his throat. “We need to recover our strength first, so we’ll leave at dawn. Any objections?”

Silence.

“Very well. Get some rest everyone.”

Diarmuid and Lester went out first, followed by Sir Oifey. Lana approached Julia. “Hey, did you need someone to show you around? I’d be more than happy to.”

“Oh! Uh…” Julia bowed. “Yes, that’d be nice. Thank you…”

Lana led her out, but she bumped into Ulster when they left simultaneously. “Oh, um, sorry,” she said, holding up her hand.

“No, no, you don’t have to apologize,” Ulster replied awkwardly, his grin making it worse. “I got in the way.”

“Oh, please, you didn’t, you didn’t do anything wrong.” A nervous laugh.

Larcei, who was still in her seat, turned to watch. Seliph, despite himself, did the same. Theirs and Julia’s eyes flickered between Lana and Ulster.

“I’m sorry about that whole thing, y’know, from earlier…” Ulster said.

“It’s not a problem, really.” Lana brushed some of her hair away. “It’s just that I’m— well, I  _ was _ the only healer and I was so worried about leaving someone alone out there, not just you. Sir Oifey could get hurt, too, and you know—”

“No, no, I totally get it. He’s our most experienced fighter after all! And a former tactician! Can’t lose him, right?”

“Right, right. You get it.” Lana turned slightly. “I, um… I should show Julia around like I said! Right, Julia?”

Julia gave a hesitant smile. “I-I suppose so.”

Ulster laughed. “Yeah, I’ll let you two get to it. I’m going to go, er, do… something. Prepare for tomorrow! I’m going to prepare for tomorrow.”

They walked out in opposite directions, leaving Larcei and Seliph alone in the war room. She turned around toward him and mouthed, “Wow.”

He nodded quietly in agreement.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's refreshing going back and looking over this work. I'm surprised how well it holds up to my current standards.


	3. Isaach

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really enjoy how the children's parents changes the implied dynamic for some fights in this game. It's always interesting to think about.

“Larcei.”

Seliph’s voice reached her from the side as they, Lester, Diarmuid, and Julia marched toward Iuchar’s army. Ulster, Oifey, and Lana had gone west to take on Iucharba and secure Sophara.

“Yeah?” Larcei asked.

“What exactly is Ulster’s plan?”

“Isn’t that the question of the day?” Lester chimed in, trotting nearby. “I trust him as much as the next guy, but—”

“He doesn’t even trust us with the details of his plan,” Diarmuid finished. “Neither do you or Sir Oifey, Larcei.”

Larcei sighed. “It’s not exactly something you want to hear until it works.”

Seliph started, but shook his head instead. “Very well. We trust you.”

A nervous laugh escaped her, and the group fell silent for the rest of the march. Since they’d left Ganeishire, three days had passed. Ulster, Sir Oifey, and Lana had separated from them yesterday.

They could reach and conquer Isaach within the day if they moved quickly enough and Iuchar joined their ranks. Ulster and the others could likely conquer Sophara at the same time if Iucharba played along as well.

The real problem was Danann, “king” of Isaach.

He was appointed by Emperor Arvis to oversee the lands some seventeen years ago, when the war between Grannvale and Isaach ended in the former’s victory. The son of the late Lombard was no different from his greedy father, and the status of Isaach reflected that. Larcei had known too much pain under his rule, and the idea that they were on a crash course straight for his headquarters made her heart pound.

“Larcei, stop!” Lester whispered. “We’re here.”

She had to squint, but in the distance, past a small collection of trees, was a line of horsemen. Iuchar was no doubt in the back center, commanding them.

“Now would be a great time to reveal your brother’s ‘master plan.’”

Larcei took a deep breath. “Okay, I just need you to stay here, alright?”

“What?!” Seliph exclaimed, though quietly. “You’re going  _ alone _ ?!”

“Yes, I’m going alone!” she retorted. “It’s not gonna work otherwise! They need to focus on me!”

“You can’t be serious!”

Lester, Diarmuid, and Julia all looked at each other, feeling a sense of déjà vu.

“You guys can be backup if it goes awry,” Larcei said, shrugging. “Diar’s got a horse; he can help out!”

“Wait, what about me?” Lester asked.

“Ganeishire.” Diarmuid glared at him sideways.

“But— ugh, fine.”

He turned to Larcei. “Are you sure about this?”

“Nope, but I’m doing it anyway.” She adjusted her sword in its sheath and moved ahead.

“Larcei, wait!” Seliph started, but she was already gone.

Lester cleared his throat. “That felt awfully familiar,” he said, grinning at Seliph.

“Lester, this is serious! She could get killed out there!”

Diarmuid hummed lowly. “Hm, with all due respect, sir, this is Larcei we’re talking about. She’s an absolute monster in combat. She doesn’t think like you and I do.”

“Pardon?”

He blinked. “Haven’t you sparred with her before?”

Seliph was still confused. “Yes, but what does that have to do with anything?”

“How do I put this? It’s like,” Diarmuid scratched his head, “she knows your weaknesses before the fight even starts? I dunno.”

“She learns fast,” Lester summed up. “ _ Really _ fast. Ulster’s the same way. My eyesight’s good, but I can’t observe things like they can.”

“Yes, that’s it!”

Seliph looked back toward the army. Larcei’s figure had grown smaller, and was about to match proportions with the horses. “Still, I can’t help but worry,” he mumbled.

Larcei came to a stop where she thought Iuchar could hear her. He was stationed in the center of the back row, his men looking disgruntled. She observed them to be equipped the same way: leather chestplates, helmets, and their axes hanging in their hands. Their condition suggested they’d been there for some time, expecting Seliph’s army to come for them at any moment.

She recalled that Iuchar didn’t treat his men all too great, for he was too busy being… well, him. She could safely assume they weren’t all that loyal to him. However, they did share his ideal of not participating in the child hunts, which she could use to her advantage.

_ Alright, let’s do this. _

Iuchar noticed her first, a testament to his army’s exhaustion. “Larcei!” He was overjoyed to see her face. “Oh, how I’ve longed for the day you would come to meet me on the battlefield!”

Both Larcei and Iuchar’s entire army cringed at the statement. “Shut it, Iuchar,” she shouted back at him. “I’ve got something to tell you.”

“Anything, my dear! Tell me, and with it, I shall keep your voice in my mind always! For you see—”

As he continued singing praises, Julia whispered, “He talks an awful lot…”

“You haven’t heard him when he  _ really _ gets going,” Lester mumbled back. “The guy’s a walking collection of bad poetry. I bet if you laid all the pages next to each other, they’d circle the continent three times over.”

“It’s not even good, if you ask me,” Diarmuid said. “Larcei could teach him a thing or five.”

“Larcei writes poetry?” Seliph asked, intrigued. “She never told me that.”

“That makes two of us.” Diarmuid looked back up.

“Three, you mean. I found it first,” Lester corrected.

Seliph was about to scold them, but kept his mouth shut.

Back on the battlefield, Larcei yawned. “You, uh, you done there yet?” she asked.

“I believe that is all, my dear,” Iuchar said, having lost no energy at all, much to his squad’s chagrin. “I must say, you are more lovely than any rose I cultivate in my garden for you.”

Larcei picked her nose, flicking the booger off her finger.

Iuchar started ramping it up. “You are my sunshine on rainy days, my fire during a winter storm, a—”

Larcei interrupted him. “A beam of light to light your way through darkness, I get it. But, uh, can I talk now?”

“Of course, my dearest Larcei. Your voice is music to my ears!” Iuchar sang the last part, and his army groaned.

“She sings, too,” Lester whispered. “That one was the accident.”

“What?!” Seliph was caught by surprise.

“Oh, yeah, she wouldn’t talk to you for weeks after that, and your black eye took even longer!” Diarmuid recalled fondly.

“That’s not funny,” Lester spoke coldly.

“Yes, it is.”

Larcei cleared her throat, composing herself. “My full name,” she took a deep breath, “is Larcei Luchtaine Dozel, the eldest child of Lord Lex of House Dozel.”

It was silent. A gust of wind blew across the battlefield. Seliph and the others, from their vantage point, had their jaws on the ground.

“Wait,  _ the _ Lord Lex?” Diarmuid whispered.

“Her father is…?” Seliph covered his mouth with his hand.

“Wait, I’m lost. Fill me in?” Lester asked, looking between the two.

“He was Lord Lombard’s youngest son, and the half-brother of Danann. He fought alongside Lord Sigurd in Belhalla.” Diarmuid stared at Larcei. “But I never thought he could be—”

“Larcei…” Seliph whispered.

Iuchar stared at her. “I-I’m sorry?”

“Drop your weapon, cousin,” Larcei commanded, hating the taste of the word in her mouth. “Or, fight alongside us. Your choice.”

“‘Cousin’?!”

“Er, sir? Should we attack?” one of the horsemen asked, a little unnerved.

“Are you kidding?! She’s the daughter of that damned traitor Lex!” another said. “Let’s just hit her now, while she’s got her guard down!!”

Larcei’s watchful eye looked for signs of any member looking to attack her. One, two… about three of them were likely considering it. Child’s play.

“Look, cousin,” she took a few steps forward, “you don’t want the child hunts to continue, do you?”

Iuchar was silent, trembling even.

“You think it’s barbaric, even by your standards. You aren’t perfect, I know, but this is your chance to make amends! Make a choice!”

“Sir! Orders!” the unnerved horseman called.

“Iuchar!!” Larcei shouted.

“This is getting us nowhere! I’m going in!!” The angry one from earlier broke formation and charged, axe raised.

However, before he got the chance to swing, a hand axe cut into his back, causing him to fall dead onto the floor. The horse whinnied in panic, fleeing past Larcei. It was by Iuchar’s hand that the axe was thrown.

“From this day forth,” he looked at her, a new conviction in his eyes, “we fight for the liberation army. Set your sights on the enemy. The true enemy.”

For the first time, Iuchar and Larcei shared a mutual smile.

* * *

With Iuchar’s army having switched allegiances, the reinforcements sent in by Danann were crushed. Isaach, the capital of its country by the same name, was fully liberated in three days’ time. It was a key victory for the “liberation army”, as people had taken to calling Seliph and the rest, giving them a stronghold close to Rivough, where Danann resided.

Seliph was tending to the horse that ran off after Iuchar killed its rider. Diarmuid gave him a few tips on caring for her, such as food, water, and mutual gentleness. She was put in the stables for the time being, but Seliph requested that she be given a new saddle in place of the worn one.

It was then that a servant approached him. “Lord Seliph, I’ve a message from Sophara,” they said. “It seems they were liberated around the same time you took Isaach.”

“Really? That’s wonderful news! How is everyone?” Seliph asked, excited.

“It seems Prince Ulster led the charge himself, and he was soon joined by a Silesian pegasus knight and a mage. Iucharba’s army also turned to their side to assist, and there were no casualties. I was told your friends should be here within the next few days or so.”

“I see! Thank you for this. If you could, could you send a message back? Tell them that it’s safe to go to Isaach.”

The servant bowed. “Of course.”

Once they were gone, Seliph turned to the horse and stroked it. She had been nervous at first, but in a few short hours, she was somewhat used to him. She didn’t try to trample him anymore, for one.

“I’ll be back,” he said, exiting the stables.

He walked down the halls. They were just as large and expansive as Shannan said they were; if only he were here to see it. Seliph was sure he’d love to roam down the halls of his childhood once more.

He spotted Lester after a while, chatting with Diarmuid.

“Lester!” he called.

“Hm? Oh, Lord Seliph. What’s up?” Lester said.

“I just received word from Sophara. They were successful as well, and there weren’t any casualties.”

Lester let out a sigh. “Hoo, that’s a relief. Lana was acting a little rash yesterday; I was a little worried when she said she was going with Ulster and Sir Oifey. Not that I don’t trust ‘em, but you know how she can get.”

“Believe me, I know.” Seliph laughed. “So, have any of you seen Larcei?”

“Woah, there, cowboy. Making moves now that Iuchar and Iucharba are her cousins, are you?” Lester’s smug expression said it all.

“What?! No, I wanted to tell her Ulster is alive!” Seliph was as red as a beet, however. “She has to be at least somewhat worried, right?”

“Yeah, but is that  _ all _ , sir?”

Diarmuid rolled his eyes. “Oh, for the love of— she’s somewhere on the second floor balcony, probably near the front.”

“Thank you, Diarmuid.” Seliph scuttled off, trying to collect himself.

What was that all about? Yes, he cared for Larcei as much as anyone else he knew, but to imply he did because he felt something more for her? That wasn’t— he didn’t— Certainly she was… Well, she was someone he cared about, but not in that way! No, no, they were just friends!

He came up the steps to the balcony.

Well, he definitely found her— good-looking. But he thought that of Mother Edain, Lana, and Julia as well. They were all beauties to behold; anyone who laid eyes on them thought just as he did, with varying levels. He found any admirer to be justified in their feelings appearance-wise. It wasn’t like he found Larcei  _ specifically  _ to be—

Seliph looked up, having arrived. She was watching the city from the second floor balcony, leaning slightly over for a better look. His footsteps must have given him away, as she turned around to look at him. The sunset cast an orange light on her from the side. Her hair, grown a tad bit since Tirnagog, flowed with the wind.

_ Beautiful. _

He must have been staring for a while, because she spoke first. “You, uh, need something?” she asked.

Seliph snapped out of it. “Um, yes, I do— I mean, no! Er, hello.” He waved sheepishly.

She raised an eyebrow. “Hi…?”

Lester’s teasing clung to the back of Seliph’s mind like an insect to a spider’s web. “I… just wanted to let you know that Sophara was seized,” he said, barely keeping himself composed. “And Ulster’s safe, along with Lana and Sir Oifey. Just, just so you know.”

Her lips curled into a charming smile. Wow, he’d never realized it until now. “That’s good. Sometimes he worries me more than he thinks. Not that I’d ever tell him.”

He laughed. “I don’t doubt it.” He walked to her side. “What, um, what were you looking at?”

She pointed down. “The townspeople are getting ready for a festival in your honor. Pretty neat, don’t you think?”

“F-For me? But I’m not—”

She shook her head. “You really don’t get it? You’re leading this army to victory, Seliph. Not just anyone can do that.”

Seliph looked away, frowning. “Larcei, it’s not that.”

He felt her gaze linger on him for a bit before turning toward the horizon. “I see. You don’t think you deserve such praise, do you?”

She saw right through him. She always did. It was a little annoying sometimes, but it was nice to always have someone who could sympathize.

Larcei rested her cheek in her hand as she leaned on the balcony. “‘This was a small victory; it won’t be this easy forever.’ Or maybe, ‘They’re making too big a deal of it; I’m no more special than anyone else.’ Am I right?”

Right on the mark, Seliph thought. He knew why, of course, but he still didn’t want to be the one everyone looked toward. All those eyes, expecting him to make the first move. Oifey, Shannan, Mother Edain, the citizens of Tirnanog… They all expected him to be  _ great _ .

He was to be their savior, but he never asked to be something like that.

Larcei continued. “Despite that, here you are, fighting. By doing that, you inspire these people. You give them hope, more hope than you think you do.” She smiled again.

“Larcei, I…” Seliph stopped, and accepted the compliment. “Thank you.”

The pair looked below and saw a group of children waving toward them. They waved back. “Thanks to your leadership, these kids have a future. You’re their hero,” Larcei said, placing her hand on Seliph’s shoulder.

Lester’s teasing echoed at the back of his head again. He tried swatting it away, but to no avail. What  _ did  _ he feel for Larcei, exactly? She was one of his closest friends, to be sure. But… what about a year from now? Two years? Not even that, what about a month from now? Would their relationship change?

There was really only one way to find out. “Larcei, I was wondering…” he started.

“Yeah?” Larcei looked at him.

“Would you…? That is, if you wanted to…” He fumbled with his words. There shouldn’t be any need to stutter. The turnout didn’t matter; he just needed to know something.

“Wanted to… what?” She tried egging him on.

“I— you know what, never mind.” He shook his head, mentally slapping himself for such a silly idea.

She seemed disappointed. “Oh, alright.” Her hand left his shoulder as she went back toward the castle. “I’m gonna go eat, then. I’ll see you around?”

He waved with uncertainty. “See you around.”

* * *

Sophara’s market was expansive for a place surrounded by mountains on three sides, Ulster thought. The fruits came from Silesse, Grannvale, even Miletos way down south if they were lucky.

However, as much as he appreciated it, he didn’t appreciate Lana making him carry everything. “Think of it like flexing your arms!” she told him, but that didn’t help at all. Regardless, it was a big refresher from the hard fought battle.

Iucharba was stunned (and disappointed) that they were related, but he joined their cause. “Dad and I never really got along, anyway, so what the hell,” he claimed to be his reason. With the strength of his squadron, they took Sophara with ease.

“Hey, Ulster, what do you think: sweet Agustrian apples, or pickled Thracian plums for tonight?” Lana asked, holding the choices in her hands.

“Hmm… I’ll go with Agustria,” he replied, adjusting his hold on the bags he was already carrying. “It’ll make for a great dessert.”

She faced the merchant. “We’ll take those, then.”

After the purchase, the two decided to head back to the castle. Some of the citizens recognized them and thanked them again. Ulster tried his best with the load he was carrying, but he wanted to make it back to rest his arms before the journey to join back up with Larcei and the others.

“Ahoy, Ulster, Lana!” It was the pegasus knight that had come to join their army, Fee. “Looks like you could use some help!”

“That would be… most appreciated!” Ulster strained beneath the weight of the groceries, immediately going to her.

She took about half the luggage. “Wow, you guys really stocked up, huh? Planning a big dinner?”

“We have to,” Lana said. “There’s a lot of mouths to feed in this place.”

“I’ll say. I’m starving!” sounded Arthur, the mage that Fee had brought with her. “What’s on the menu?”

“I don’t know,” Lana narrowed her eyes, “what’re you willing to cook?”

“Yeah, Arthur,” Fee joined in with a grin. “Why don’tcha help out in the kitchen?”

“Oh, well, y’know, I’ve got, uh, other stuff to do…?” Arthur’s lame excuse netted no results.

Ten minutes later, all four of them were in the kitchen, overseeing the dinner preparations with the Sopharan chefs.

“A higher temperature, Arthur!” Fee called, to which Arthur reluctantly granted. “Wait, lower!! Lower!!!” It was lowered. “Now you’re just mocking me.” Arthur pouted, but adjusted properly this time.

Ulster diced up some Thracian onions and slid them into the bowl. Lana slipped beneath him to stack Grannvalian parsley. She wasn’t perfect and bumped into him slightly. The two shared a sheepish grin, then went about making further preparations. Arthur continued managing the fire while Fee made sure he didn’t screw around too much.

All in all, it was a successful dinner. The chefs commended them for their work, and the result was an adequate beef stew with apple pie for dessert.

Ulster, while eating, spotted Iucharba brooding away from everyone. He’d gotten his fair share and left the table. “I’ll be right back,” he said to Lana, who was next to him.

“Okay,” she said, noticing Iucharba. “Good luck.”

Ulster scoffed, but appreciated the gesture. He took his plate to his newfound cousin. “Scared of a little bit of socializing?” he asked.

“You wish,” Iucharba muttered weakly, picking at his food. “Just not used to dining with people that look at me with hatred and disgust.”

“I getcha, but I’m sure the others’ll warm up eventually.” Ulster leaned against the wall opposite his cousin.

“Heh, we’ll see.” Iucharba took a sip of his stew. “Ulster, I wanna ask you somethin’.”

“Shoot.”

“Are you sure you’re ready to fight my father after what he did?” His eyes pierced through Ulster’s.

“If you’re asking if I’m ready to free Isaach, then yeah, I’m as ready as I’ll ever be.” Ulster shrugged.

Iucharba recoiled a bit. “Wait, you mean you don’t know?”

A chill went down Ulster’s spine. “Know what?” he asked cautiously.

Iucharba went silent, thinking. “Ask me again. You sure you wanna know?”

Ulster raised his voice, having a few guesses on hand. “Tell me what he did.” His tone feared the worst.

Iucharba hesitated for a moment. “Well… Alright, then. Here goes.” He made sure they were out of earshot of anyone else. “The short version is that my dad killed your parents.”

It was like being struck on the side by Larcei’s hardest swing. “What?” he whispered in disbelief, his hands threatening to drop his plate.

“Lord Lex and Princess Ayra managed to survive Belhalla, and they made their way here, to Isaach, probably to reunite with you and Larcei. But Dad had Helswath, picked up straight from our grandpa’s corpse. It was a massacre.” Iucharba kept his plate balanced, watching Ulster absorb the information.

Ulster spoke slowly. “How do I know you’re not lying to me?”

It was here Iucharba’s grip tightened. “My older brother, Brian, is a lot of things, but he’s no liar. I place my life on that.”

So the man that ruled over Ulster’s life for seventeen whole years was responsible for more than just that. He’d robbed him of his parents, of some semblance of a normal family. Instead he only got Larcei and the others from Tirnanog. Not that he hated it, but introducing the idea that it could’ve been  _ more _ ate at him.

Larcei always thought their mother, at least, made it out and was somewhere, but whenever he brought up the possibility that she might be dead, he received a harder beating during sparring.

He always liked being right when his sister was wrong, but for once, he wished it were the other way around.

“When we meet up with the others,” he tried and failed to steady his hand, “don’t tell Larcei.”

“Wait, what? She deserves to know just as much as you do!”

“No, you don’t get it!” Ulster was trembling. “If she finds out, she’ll rush out there by herself to kill Danann. Worst comes to worst, once that’s done, she’ll turn on you and Iuchar. Maybe she’ll even try taking on the whole damn Empire. I can’t let that happen, Iucharba. I won’t!”

He held up his hand defensively. “Alright, alright, you win.”

“Thank you.”

“But I gotta warn you; it’s only a matter of time.”

He sighed. “Yeah. I know.”


	4. Rivough

Larcei heel kicked Diarmuid to the ground, ending the match in her victory. “You’re doing a lot better,” she told him, holding out her hand to help him up.

“Really? It feels like you just kick my butt every time,” Diarmuid said, taking it.

“You lasted five minutes instead of the usual three. Be proud.” She grinned.

He had to return it. “I suppose, but it stinks not having Ulster or Shannan around, huh?”

“For me, maybe. But it’s good to help you guys out. I know your fighting style better than anyone.” She pat his shoulder. “Not sure how this’ll help your horseback fighting, but you have sloppy footwork. Makes you unbalanced and then  _ bam _ ! You’re down and dead.”

“I see… It helps plenty if I’m knocked off, so thank you.”

“Sure thing.” She twirled the practice sword in her hand, returning it to its rack. An uneasy sigh escaped her lips.

Ulster and the others wouldn’t be here until tomorrow, and Danann was likely already sending another wave of fighters the more they waited around for them. But Seliph didn’t want to risk spreading themselves out too thin; it would be better if they were attacked at Isaach so they could defend better.

“How’s Seliph doing with the horse?”

Diarmuid hung up his sword as well. “He’s focusing on getting her to full strength; we noticed she wasn’t raised in ideal conditions, so we haven’t started riding lessons. One day, though.”

“He’ll be a literal white knight soon, huh?” Larcei chuckled. “That’ll be an image.”

“I look forward to it,” Diarmuid said proudly. “Then I can say to future generations that I taught the Scion of Light himself!”

She laughed. “You looking to become a riding instructor?”

He grinned sheepishly. “Sort of. I want to see the revival of Agustria’s Cross Knights one day, and when we managed to get ahold of that horse, I thought: ‘Why not start with Lord Seliph?’”

Larcei was honestly surprised. “I didn’t think you’d thought that far ahead.”

“Well, now that we’ve started fighting, it could be over just as quickly as it began,” Diarmuid said, shrugging. “I think we should all have something planned out. Have you got anything?”

She shook her head. “Not really, but focusing on Isaach with Ulster and Shannan might be a good place to start.”

“You don’t sound like it’d be good.” He looked over at her. “Ulster told me how you were sick of being stuck in Tirnanog, after all. You’ve probably had your fill of this place, haven’t you?”

Of course Ulster spilled the beans. “Maybe so, but I’m also its princess. Kind of a big deal if I don’t stick around.”

Diarmuid hummed. “Well, think of it this way: if the world isn’t as grand as you hope it to be, then you can just come back. No harm done.”

“Yeah, but what’ll I do if it is?”

Another shrug. “I can’t help you with that. It’s your path, isn’t it? Not mine.”

She sighed. “Ah, worth a shot. Thanks anyway, Diar.”

He nodded politely. “Of course.” He pointed in a direction. “I’m gonna go check up on the horses. They took a bit of a beating yesterday.”

“Alright. See you.”

“Bye.” He walked off, leaving Larcei alone with her thoughts.

Though it’d been passed off as a joke, she really didn’t know what she was going to do after the war. The way it was shaping up, everyone would go to their rightful homes and set things right. Mother Edain could finally return to Jungby, Shannan would claim his spot on the throne, and Sir Oifey would settle back down in Chalphy.

But Larcei didn’t  _ want _ to settle. She wanted to see the world and what else it had to offer. There were marvels she’d never dreamed of, fights she’d love to get into, and people she wanted to make smile. But at the same time, she couldn’t ignore the blood of Od flowing through her veins. So, at the end of it all, she had to choose between her desires and her duties.

The only question was which one.

* * *

The next day, the liberation army was reunited. In that time, Danann had sent a small wave of reinforcements, but Larcei and the others managed to fend them off without much issue. Now, with the full might of their army, they were in the war room.

“Danann is no doubt sending even more troops this time,” Sir Oifey said. “Despite this, I believe it was a good idea to face him and storm Rivough with our full strength. There’s no telling what could happen. Lana, were you or Lester able to spot them within the vicinity?”

“No, sir,” Lana said. “We scoured everywhere we could west of here and found nothing. We can advance, but Lester’s still watching out.”

“Good. Seems Ulir is siding with us on this one.”

“I wouldn’t be so sure,” Iucharba said, his back leaning against the wall. “Saying he’ll ‘send even more troops’ is an understatement; he’s probably got the entire cavalry out there this time. Commander Schmidt, no doubt, will show up.”

“Who’s that?” Larcei asked.

“One of Danann’s most trusted subordinates. He won’t go down easy, and his unit’s one of the strongest Dozel’s got. If we beat him, though…” he smirked, “then we’ll have netted ourselves a brave axe.”

“I see…” Seliph said. “So we’re preparing ourselves for your father’s final stand.”

Ulster shifted in his seat, exchanging uncomfortable looks with Iucharba and catching Larcei’s eye. She remained silent, however.

“I suppose all we can really do is charge headfirst.” Seliph looked at everyone. “We don’t have any room to operate on any secret plans.”

Arthur exchanged glances with Fee, then raised his hand. “Well, Sir Seliph, I beg to differ. We have one thing that might work.”

“What’s that?”

Fee grinned. “I don’t think they’d be ready for an aerial assault.”

“And their magic defenses are pathetic, from what I’ve seen.” Arthur mimicked her. “So if Fee and I work together, then you’ve got a whole different ball game.”

Seliph nodded. “Very well.”

Iuchar raised his hand. “Another thing, sir.”

“Yes?”

“Fath— Danann is very confident in his cavalry, so if a small squadron were able to sneak past them, he’d be outmatched. Not only that, but Helswath is currently stationed at Dozel, with Brian.”

“Say we took him down before the cavalry,” Sir Oifey said. “Would the rest of them surrender?”

“I don’t doubt it. Eliminating him should be a priority.”

“The only question is who should go.” Sir Oifey looked around. “Given our numbers, perhaps three or four on foot could sneak through the forest while the rest of us confront the cavalry unit.”

“I’ll go, then,” Ulster volunteered.

“Same here,” Larcei agreed.

“Count me in, too,” Lana said immediately.

“Lana, you need to stay behind to help heal any troops,” Ulster said firmly. “Larcei and I can treat our own wounds.”

“But Ulster—” She wanted to protest, but trailed off. They only had Julia and her to rely on for healing, so they should stay where the most damage could be done. “Okay. Just… just be careful, alright?”

Larcei looked around for anyone else who might go with them, but the silence offered no volunteers.

“We can just go alone,” Ulster said suddenly. “We’re more than capable of taking down a small group by ourselves.”

“Wait, you can’t be serious!” It was Seliph. “This is our final stretch for Isaach; I can’t let you two risk it alone!”

Iucharba stared at Ulster, but remained silent.

“Sir, with all due respect,” Ulster faced him, “I can’t let you come with us if we fail.”

“That's exactly why I can’t let you go! The two of you are extremely powerful, but I won’t let you go off on a suicide mission!” Seliph’s gaze hardened. “Either I’m going with you, or you aren’t going at all.”

“But sir—!” Ulster tightened his fist. “This is something we have to do!”

“I’ll go, then.” Iucharba came off his place at the back. “I know Rivough Castle, so I know where guards come and go, and also where dear old Dad is.”

“You sound as excited as a bird learning to fly,” Iuchar commented offhandedly.

“Wouldn’t you be? Their fight is our fight; we’re family.”

“And family sticks together.” He chuckled. “I’m aware.”

Seliph glanced at Larcei. “And you’re alright with this, Larcei?”

She focused her gaze on Ulster. “Yeah. Just fine.” She made her way to the door. “We should get moving as soon as possible. The enemy could be here any second now.”

Seliph pursed his lips. “Okay. Do what you must. And come back safe, all of you.”

Ulster inhaled. “Yes, sir.”

The two of them returned to the room they shared to pack. Their priorities were first aid supplies and food. Ulster occasionally glanced at Larcei’s turned back as she packed up. However, she didn’t speak the whole time. It was somehow more unsettling than if she did. Their only interaction was the exchange of swords; Larcei got a bolt sword alongside her brave sword, and Ulster equipped himself with a wind sword to use alongside his silver blade.

They went to the castle entrance, where Iucharba was waiting for them.

“Ready?” he asked.

“Ready as we’ll ever be,” Ulster breathed.

“That’s the spirit, cousin!”

Larcei snickered.

* * *

As the sun rose to its peak, the small group heard horses galloping in the distance, and soon, there were cries of battle in Isaach’s direction. It meant their plan was working so far.

“We can stop sneaking around now,” Larcei said. “Iucharba, how fast—“

She stopped upon seeing him discussing something with Ulster. “Remember, the further you get, the more Grannvalians you’ll run into, so be careful,” he was saying. “Danann is likely in his quarters. If you can get there, he might be alone, but don’t count on it.”

“Alright,” Ulster said. “Thank you again, Iucharba, and good luck.”

He smirked. “I should be telling you that.”

“So, you’re leaving?” Larcei asked, dropping in on the conversation.

Iucharba shrugged. “Can’t just leave my brother out there. You know better’n anyone he’s a bit of a klutz. And besides, this is your guys’ fight. It’s your country; it should be you.”

She pursed her lips, but nodded. “Okay, then. Good luck, cousin.”

“Heh, right back at ya.”

The two separated from him, their sights on the castle ahead. Without Iucharba, they could dash at full speed, and the trees seemed to bend to their will before revealing Rivough’s walls in the distance.

From their position, they could decipher the closed doors, and there were at least three guards patrolling each of the castle’s four walls. Each side was large enough that even with their high speed, at least one guard would spot them if they tried to round the corner.

“Any ideas, sis?” Ulster asked, grinning.

“You’re the bookworm between the two of us; shouldn’t I be asking you?” she responded just as playfully.

The banter told both of them they knew the plan from the beginning.

“Counting on you, sis.”

“Ditto, little brother. Let’s go!”

That was when the twins stopped right at Rivough’s front door, their hands held high in surrender. All the guards drew their bows on them, recognizing their description. 

“Drop your weapons, rebel scum!!” shouted a guard.

Larcei and Ulster did so. The tips of her brave sword and his silver blade pointed toward them.

“Lower the drawbridge,” they told another guard. “His Majesty, King Danann, would like to see them.”

Ulster tensed up. That meant he’d leave his quarters, making him vulnerable. Larcei swallowed, watching the drawbridge creak down. Both raised their hands to their heads, the handle of the magic swords teasing their fingertips. Even through their tunics and sheaths, the feeling of crackling lightning and a frigid breeze tickled their spines.

_ Thump.  _ The drawbridge was lowered, and the chains exposed. In one swift motion, Larcei and Ulster grabbed their hidden weapons and cast the spells. A thunderous crackle and a dangerous whoosh slashed through metal chains, permanently securing the bridge to the ground.

What followed was the twins’ fiercest battle yet. Despite all of Danann’s cavalry out clashing with Seliph and the others, there were a formidable amount of imperial troops stationed at Rivough to challenge the duo. Larcei’s sword cut down foe after foe, and for each one she missed, Ulster was there to cover her. Before long, they were the only ones left standing. Nearly exhausted, but standing nonetheless.

“Hey, you still alive?” Ulster breathed, opening an eye.

“Yeah… More or less,” Larcei responded between pants. “I… need a drink.”

“Join the club… Whew…”

They shared a small laugh in the face of victory. But it was short-lived. Ulster heard the sound of an axe being thrown. He shoved Larcei out of the way just as it would have hit her— but it struck him in the side instead. He fell to the ground, gasping in pain.

“Ulster!!” she yelled before turning to the source.

“This is certainly a sight for sore eyes.” Out stepped Danann himself. “First my worthless brother and his barbarian princess, now their disgusting half-breed children.”

Ulster grit his teeth, scowling as he kept the axe secure despite how much he wanted it out. He tried to speak, but only blood came out. Larcei stepped in front of him, acting as a shield.

“And she strikes the same pose. Today is definitely a trip down memory lane.” Danann readied his silver axe in both hands. “Then that means you die here as well.”

Larcei’s grip on her sword tightened. “What are you talking about?” she asked.

Danann laughed. “Did you not know? They came here many years ago, just like you did. My brother truly thought I would give him sanctuary after that disastrous battle at Belhalla. But I saw our father’s corpse, and I knew it was him that dealt the killing blow. And then he had the audacity to bring that Isaachian…  _ thing _ with him! After everything her country did to ours! I wouldn’t stand for it.

“So they died at my hands. And my brother was actually concerned for her.”

Ulster managed to sit up, his vision struggling against darkness. However, he could make out Larcei standing silently before. She spoke. “So, they survived and came to you, some of their only living family left, hoping you’d help them. And you threw it in their faces?”

“He was no different from the rest of that scum who stood against Emperor Arvis’s plan,” Danann replied coldly. “He was no family of mine, and you are even less so.”

“That makes two of us, then.” Larcei charged and clashed head-on with his axe.

But her assault did not stop there. Another strike followed toward his leg, scoring a wound and leaving a trail of green behind it. Then another at his side, another at the straps of his armor, and another, and another. Danann’s Neir blood kept him standing, however, and he swung with all his might. Larcei ducked low, feeling the axe cut the unfortunate air above her, and she continued her blows.

Ulster found a wall to support himself on, keeping the axe embedded in his stomach. His fingers went numb, and his feet turned cold, but he had to try and help somehow. There had to be something he could use. Anything—

A warm light suddenly engulfed him, restoring his energy. He instinctively removed the axe as the gash closed and repaired itself. He knew immediately who it was, and he wouldn’t let her down.

Larcei and Danann were evenly matched and the battle could go either way. Ulster’s grip on the hand axe tightened. He’d never used one before, but now was as good a time as ever. He aimed carefully, judging the angle, and flung it as hard as he could.

The weapon spun through the air, curving along a path as Danann knocked Larcei to the ground. He was about to swing his axe directly upon her chest, but Ulster had gotten it right, and the hand axe buried itself halfway into Danann’s neck.

In one swift motion, Larcei pushed herself up, kicking him in the stomach. Ulster raised the wind sword, casting Elwind from afar. With Danann stunned, Larcei jumped into the air, sword in hand, and plunged it as far as it would go into his heart. The armor stood no chance, and the false king of Isaach lay dead.

She removed the sword, staggering back. Ulster caught her before she fell.

“Did you know?” Her voice was small.

Ulster pursed his lips. “I wanted to protect you from yourself.”

A pause. “I see. Thank you.” She shivered in his grasp. “So… they tried to come to us, and he robbed us of them.” She stood back up. “Let’s meet with the others. I need to get patched up.”

“Larcei…”

She threw his arm over her shoulder. “Let’s get going.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fight scenes are hard.


End file.
